Robert Guillaume (born Robert Peter Williams; November , â€" October
, ) was an American actor and singer, known for his role as Benson
DuBois in the television series Soap and its spin-off Benson, as well
as for voicing the mandrill Rafiki in The Lion King and related media
thereof. In a career that spanned more than years he worked
extensively on stage, television and film. For his efforts he was
nominated for a Tony Award for his portrayal of Nathan Detroit in Guys
and Dolls, and twice won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of the
character Benson DuBois, once in on Soap and in on Benson. He also
won a Grammy Award in for his spoken word performance of an audiobook
version of The Lion King.Guillaume was born in St. Louis, Missouri, as
Robert Williams, to an alcoholic mother. After being abandoned by her,
he and several siblings were raised by their grandmother Jeannette
Williams. He studied at St. Louis University and Washington University
and served in the United States Army before pursuing an acting career.
He adopted the surname "Guillaume", French for William, as his stage
name.After leaving university, Guillaume joined the Karamu Players in
Cleveland and performed in musical comedies and opera. He toured the
world in as a cast member of the Broadway musical Free and Easy. He
made his Broadway debut in Kwamina in . His other stage appearances
included Golden Boy (with Sammy Davis Jr.), Tambourines to Glory, Guys
and Dolls, for which he received a Tony Award nomination, Jacques Brel
is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, and Purlie!. His additional
roles included Katherine Dunham's Bambouche and in Fly The Blackbird.
, ) was an American actor and singer, known for his role as Benson
DuBois in the television series Soap and its spin-off Benson, as well
as for voicing the mandrill Rafiki in The Lion King and related media
thereof. In a career that spanned more than years he worked
extensively on stage, television and film. For his efforts he was
nominated for a Tony Award for his portrayal of Nathan Detroit in Guys
and Dolls, and twice won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of the
character Benson DuBois, once in on Soap and in on Benson. He also
won a Grammy Award in for his spoken word performance of an audiobook
version of The Lion King.Guillaume was born in St. Louis, Missouri, as
Robert Williams, to an alcoholic mother. After being abandoned by her,
he and several siblings were raised by their grandmother Jeannette
Williams. He studied at St. Louis University and Washington University
and served in the United States Army before pursuing an acting career.
He adopted the surname "Guillaume", French for William, as his stage
name.After leaving university, Guillaume joined the Karamu Players in
Cleveland and performed in musical comedies and opera. He toured the
world in as a cast member of the Broadway musical Free and Easy. He
made his Broadway debut in Kwamina in . His other stage appearances
included Golden Boy (with Sammy Davis Jr.), Tambourines to Glory, Guys
and Dolls, for which he received a Tony Award nomination, Jacques Brel
is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, and Purlie!. His additional
roles included Katherine Dunham's Bambouche and in Fly The Blackbird.
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